Golf tee magazine

ABSTRACT

A golf tee magazine having a storage chamber provided at its dispensing end with a ring of a multiplicity of resilient filaments flexible either inwardly or outwardly as appropriate to facilitate charging or dispensing individual tees. The tees are stored in end-to-end alignment with the pointed ends foremost. A compression spring supports a long column of tees while pressing the foremost one to a partially exposed position in readiness to be grasped and withdrawn when needed. The magazine includes a clip useful in supporting the magazine along the wall of a golf bag adjacent its upper end or in some other convenient carrying position.

United States Patent Bromley et al.

Sept. 2, 1975 GOLF TEE MAGAZINE Inventors: Murray L. Bromley, 1101 Linda Dr., Arroyo Grande, Calif. 93420; Joseph F. Knepple, 63 Chorro St., San Luis Obispo, Calif. 93401 Filed: Nov. 28, 1973 Appl. No.: 419,773

[52] US. Cl. 221/310; 206/315 [51] Int. Cl. A63B 57/00; A47F 1/08 [58] Field of Search 221/199, 303, 307, 308, 221/310; 206/315; 312/45, 71; 211/49 D [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,890,388 12/1932 Kramlik 221/310 X 2,073,328 3/1937 Wasserlein 221/199 X 2,747,768 5/1956 Raines 221/310 X 3,568,884 3/1971 Petricek 221/310 Primary ExaminerRobert B, Reeves Assistant ExaminerThomas E. Kocovsky Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Sellers and Brace 5 7] ABSTRACT A golf tee magazine having a storage chamber provided at its dispensing end with a ring of a multiplicity of resilient filaments flexible either inwardly or outwardly as appropriate to facilitate charging or dispensing individual tees. The tees are stored in end-to-end alignment with the pointed ends foremost. A compression spring supports a long column of tees while pressing the foremost one to a partially exposed position in readiness to be grasped and withdrawn when needed. The magazine includes a clip useful in supporting the magazine along the wall of a golf bag adjacent its upper end or in some other convenient carrying position.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures GOLF TEE MAGAZINE This invention relates to article dispensing magazines, and more particularly to a magazine specially designed for dispensing individual golf tees from a single or a plurality of tubular storage chambers.

One of the vexatious aspects confronting golf players is the provision of convenient and satisfactory means for carrying a supply of tees. Common practice is to carry the tees loosely in a pocket of wearing apparel but this is attended by numerous disadvantages well known to golfers. Not only are these pockets normally used for other purposes, but adding a collection of tees to other items commonly present in the pocket presents obvious problems. These include the fact that the pointed ends of the tees can puncture the walls of the pocket and even penetrate into the skin of the player, particularly if a blow is received by the pocket during play or engagement with some object in the path of travel. Furthermore, tees are usually recovered after driving the ball at which time they are usually coated with dirt which becomes detached in the pocket and soils the wearing garment.

Various expedients have been proposed for avoiding these and other vexing incidents attending carrying a supply of golf tees in ones pocket. However, each of these prior proposals is deficient in one or more respects and fails to provide a satisfactory solution to various problems. One of these prior proposals suggests the use of a storage magazine specially designed for use in setting the tee in playing position as pressure is applied to the upper end of the magazine while held in the hand of the player. Release springs at the lower end of the magazine are intended to disengage theset tee as the magazine is withdrawn upwardly, the frictional engagement of the earth with the shank of the tee being relied upon to overcome the resistance of the tee retaining means. Not only does this tee setting device require specially designed hollow tees which nest one within the other, but it is quite impractical to so design the tee retaining means that it possesses sufficient strength to retain supply of tees in stored position yet resilient enough to assure withdrawal of a set tee as the magazine is pulled upwardly. Manifestly, such a concept is critically dependent upon the frictional engagement of the tee shank with the earth exceeding the holding power of the spring means employed to hold the tee captive in the tee setting device. The frictional forces of the ground on the tee are so widely variable and unpredictable as to render such a combined tee magazine and setting device highly impractical. Furthermore, this prior art tee setting device is totally lacking of any provision for its'support and storage between tee dispensing needs.

To overcome the foregoing and other problems typically attending the use of golf tees by players, there is provided by this invention, a simple, inexpensive, rugged tee dispensing magazine adapted to be clipped to the belt of the player or mounted on some piece of playing equipment, such as the rim of his golf bag. The capacity of the magazine is more than adequate to meet the needs of a full day of play and the magazine is equally effective to dispense a fresh tee at each teeing green or, for receiving a used tee until needed. The magazine comprises one or more tubular housings enclosing a compression spring and provided at its open dispensing end with a ring of very flexible resilient filaments adequate in number and gripping power to hold the head end of the foremost tee captive until its exposed pointed end is deliberately withdrawn. A used tee or a new supply can be charged into the magazine simply by pressing the head ends axially inwardly through the dispensing end. Support means for the magazine preferably include a spring clip engageable over the golfers trouser belt or over the rim of his golf bag or other piece of golfing equipment.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present in vention to provide a simple, inexpensive, highly reliable golf tee magazine supporting a plurality of tees with the pointed end of the foremost tee exposed and in readiness to be withdrawn.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tubular golf tee magazine closing spring means for pressing a supply of golf tees forwardly toward the dispensing end and including at that end a multiplicity of resilient filaments cooperating to retain the head of the tee captive.

'Another object of the invention is the provision of a golf tee magazine having retaining means at its dispensing end equally effective to flex inwardly to permit recharging of the magazine or forwardly as necessary to permit withdrawal of the foremost tee.

Another object of the invention 'is the provision of a golf tee magazine including one or more tubular chambers mounted as a unit in side by side relation witha dispensing end uppermost and equipped with means permitting charging or dispensing of a golf tee and which magazine is adapted to be clipped over the rim edge of a golf bag or a piece of golf equipment.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith-the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is afragmentary perspective view showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention golf tee magazine supported along the interior sidewall of a golf bag;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view on-an enlarged scale and partly in section taken along [line 22 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 on FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 44 on FIG. 3.

Referring initially to FIG. 1.,there is shown a typical embodiment of the invention golf tee magazine, designated generally 10, here shown as including a plurality of tubular magazine housings 11, 12 and 13 rigidly secured together by a bottom end plate 14 and an upper bracket member 15. The latter bracket includes a spring clip 16 designed to have a snug gripping fit over the rim edge 18 of a golf bag 19. Alternatively, it will be understood that this spring clip could embrace the trouser belt of the player or be mounted on some other piece of golfing equipment commonly accompanying the player during play. One edge of bottom plate 14 may be bent upwardly as indicated at 20 and secured to the sidewall of bag 19 as by screw 22.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it is pointed out that the tubular housings are preferably enlarged at their open dispensing ends, as indicated at 25, to seat a ringlet 26 provided with a multiplicity of long slender flexible filaments. 27 projecting radially inwardly and having their inner free ends substantially merging with one another along and about the axis of the magazine. Ringlet 26 is conveniently provided by a strip of long pile carpeting the pile filaments of which are formed of synthetic plastic material having pronounced resiliency and abrasion resisting characteristics. Such pile filaments will withstand rigorous use over a long period of time without losing their ability to resume their original radial position after deflection. Moreover, such filaments are readily deflectable either inwardly or outwardly as necessary to accommodate dispensing or recharging of tees through the magazine opening. The ringlet of pile material 26 is readily retained in chamber 25 by the inwardly turned lip 28 thereof.

Suitable means for urging the tees 30 toward the dispensing end of the magazine comprises an open wound high resiliency spring coil 32 of phospher bronze or the like material having its inner end held captive against the closed end of the magazine and its upper end 33 tapering and generally conical in shape.

In use, magazine is readily charged by inserting the head end 34 of individual tees against the pile filaments of ringlet 26 until that tee is firmly retained captive. Thereafter, successive tees are inserted in the same manner until the magazine is completely charged. The pressure supplied by spring 32 need only be adequate to overcome the weight of a full charge of tees with sufficient excess strength to press the pointed shank end 35 of the pins to an exposed position as indicated in FIG. 3. There is no risk that the tees will be dispensed accidentally owing to the gripping power of an axially long length of the piling filaments against the sides of the tee head. After a tee has been used and is found undamaged it is readily restored in the magazine by simply inserting its head through the open end of the magazine and pressing it downwardly until the pointed end is only partially exposed.

While the particular golf tee magazine herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A golf tee magazine for releasably storing a supply of golf tees with the foremost one exposed and in readiness to be withdrawn as the next tee is presented for withdrawal, said magazine comprising an elongated tubular housing closed at one end, a long open-wound coil spring housed therein having one end adjacent said closed end and under partial compression when said magazine is empty of tees, tee arresting means adjacent the open dispensing end of said magazine comprising a multiplicity of resilient filaments projecting generally radially inwardly substantially to the axis of said magazine to a position engaging the shank and head of the foremost tee and cooperating to arrest the movement of the head of a tee outwardly through the open end of said magazine by said spring with the pointed shank end of only one tee projecting beyond the dispensing end of said magazine, and said magazine being chargeable with tees through the open end thereof for storage in said magazine free of lateral frictional engagement with one another and with the heads of the tees facing rearwardly toward the closed end of said magazine and the pointed shank ends thereof aligned and bearing only against the head end of the adjacent forward one of said tees, and said filaments readily permitting charging of the magazine with tees through said open dispensing end by pressing the head of a free tee against said filaments until the same is in stored position interiorly of said magazine.

2. A golf tee magazine as defined in clairnj eli'aracterized in that the dispensing open end ofsaid magazine has an opening larger in diameter at alfpoints than the diameter of the tee head storable in said magazine.

3. A golf tee magazine as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of clip means secured to the exterior of said magazine near the open end thereof and adapted to snugly embrace a support therefor adapted to accompany a golf player during play.

4. A golf tee magazine as defined in claim 1 comprising means supporting a plurality of said magazines as a unit in side-by-side relation and with the open end of each adjacent one another.

5. A golf tee magazine as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of means on the exterior of said magazine for supporting the same on golf club bags and conveniently accessible for the withdrawal of a tee as a player selects a golf club from the bag.

6. A golf tee magazine as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of means for supporting said magazine lengthwise of one side of a golf-club bag with the open end of said magazine facing upwardly adjacent the upper rim edge of the bag. 

1. A golf tee magazine for releasably storing a supply of golf tees with the foremost one exposed and in readiness to be withdrawn as the next tee is presented for withdrawal, said magazine comprising an elongated tubular housing closed at one end, a long open-wound coil spring housed therein having one end adjacent said closed end and under partial compression when said magazine is empty of tees, tee arresting means adjacent the open dispensing end of said magazine comprising a multiplicity of resilient filaments projecting generally radially inwardly substantially to the axis of said magazine to a position engaging the shank and head of the foremost tee and cooperating to arrest the movement of the head of a tee outwardly through the open end of said magazine by said spring with the pointed shank end of only one tee projecting beyond the dispensing end of said magazine, and said magazine being chargeable with tees through the open end thereof for storage in said magazine free of lateral frictional engagement with one another and with the heads of the tees facing rearwardly toward the closed end of said magazine and the pointed shank ends thereof aligned and bearing only against the head end of the adjacent forward one of said tees, and said filaments readily permitting charging of the magazine with tees through said open dispensing end by pressing the head of a free tee against said filaments until the same is in stored position interiorly of said magazine.
 2. A golf tee Magazine as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the dispensing open end of said magazine has an opening larger in diameter at all points than the diameter of the tee head storable in said magazine.
 3. A golf tee magazine as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of clip means secured to the exterior of said magazine near the open end thereof and adapted to snugly embrace a support therefor adapted to accompany a golf player during play.
 4. A golf tee magazine as defined in claim 1 comprising means supporting a plurality of said magazines as a unit in side-by-side relation and with the open end of each adjacent one another.
 5. A golf tee magazine as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of means on the exterior of said magazine for supporting the same on golf club bags and conveniently accessible for the withdrawal of a tee as a player selects a golf club from the bag.
 6. A golf tee magazine as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of means for supporting said magazine lengthwise of one side of a golf club bag with the open end of said magazine facing upwardly adjacent the upper rim edge of the bag. 